Identification of 6-Fluorine-Substituted Coumarin Analogues as POLRMT Inhibitors with High Potency and Safety for Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

J Med Chem. 2024 Aug 8;67(15):13231-13251. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01178. Epub 2024 Jul 24.

Abstract

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is closely associated with the progression of pancreatic cancer (PC). Given its central role in mitochondrial transcription, the human mitochondrial RNA polymerase (POLRMT) is a promising target for developing PC treatments. Herein, structure-activity relationship exploration led to the identification of compound S7, which was the first reported POLRMT inhibitor possessing single-digit nanomolar potency of inhibiting PC cells proliferation. Mechanistic studies showed that compound S7 exerted antiproliferative effects without affecting the cell cycle, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), or intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels specifically in MIA PaCa-2 cells. Notably, compound S7 inhibited tumor growth in MIA PaCa-2 xenograft tumor model with a tumor growth inhibition (TGI) rate of 64.52% demonstrating significant improvement compared to the positive control (44.80%). In conclusion, this work enriched SARs of POLRMT inhibitors, and compound S7 deserved further investigations of drug-likeness as a candidate for PC treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation* / drug effects
  • Coumarins* / chemical synthesis
  • Coumarins* / chemistry
  • Coumarins* / pharmacology
  • Coumarins* / therapeutic use
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases* / metabolism
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Fluorine / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Coumarins
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
  • Fluorine
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Enzyme Inhibitors